THE INSIDERS GUIDE TO TAI CHI

What You Need to Know

to Learn and Practice Tai Chi

BY BRUCE FRANTZIS

Energy Arts, Inc. www.energyarts.com 2

Copyright 2012 Bruce Frantzis

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or

otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.

Published by Energy Arts, Inc., P.O. Box 99, Fairfax, CA 94978-0099

The following trademarks are used under license by Energy Arts, Inc., from Bruce Frantzis:

Frantzis Energy Arts system, Mastery Without Mystery, Longevity Breathing program,

Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body Qigong, Marriage of Heaven and Earth Qigong,

Bend the Bow Spinal Qigong, Spiraling Energy Body Qigong, Gods Playing in the Clouds

Qigong, Living Taoism Collection, Chi Rev Workout, HeartChi, Bagua Mastery

Program, Hsing-i Mastery Program and Tai Chi Mastery Program.

Editors: Sito Negron and Richard Taubinger

Assistant Editors: Mountain Livingston and Kaualani Pereira

Interior and Cover Design: Richard Taubinger

Photo and Illustration Editors: Mountain Livingston and Kaualani Pereira

PLEASE NOTE: The practice of Taoist energy arts and meditative arts may carry risks. The

information in this text is not in any way intended as a substitute for medical, psychological or

emotional counseling with a licensed physician or healthcare provider. The reader should

consult a professional before undertaking any martial arts, movement, meditative arts, health or

exercise program to reduce the chance of injury or any other harm that may result from

pursuing or trying any technique discussed in this text. Any physical or other distress

experienced during or after any exercise should not be ignored and should be brought to the

attention of a healthcare professional. The creators and publishers of this text disclaim any

liabilities for loss in connection with following any of the practices described in this text, and

implementation is at the discretion, decision and risk of the reader.

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Multimedia Courses with Bruce Frantzis

Tai Chi Mastery Program

Bagua Mastery Program

Hsing-i Mastery Program

Other Books by Bruce Frantzis

Tai Chi: Health for Life

Why It Works for Health, Stress Relief and Longevity

Bagua and Tai Chi:

Exploring the Potential of Chi, Martial Arts, Meditation and the I Ching

The Power of Internal Martial Arts and Chi:

Combat and Energy Secrets of Ba Gua, Tai Chi and Hsing-i

Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body:

Qigong for Lifelong Health

Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong:

Health and Energy in Seven Simple Movements

Tao of Letting Go:

Meditation for Modern Living

Chi Revolution:

Harness the Healing Power of Your Life Force

Relaxing into Your Being (Taoist Meditation, Vol. 1):

Chi, Breathing and Dissolving Inner Pain

The Great Stillness (Taoist Meditation, Vol. 2):

Body Awareness, Moving Meditation and Sex Qigong

Taoist Sexual Meditation:

Connecting to Love, Energy and Spirit

http://www.energyarts.com/http://www.taichimastery.com/https://www.energyarts.com/bagua-zhang-traininghttp://www.energyarts.com/store/products/featured/hsing-i-volumes-1-3-i-chuan-22-dvd-set

Energy Arts, Inc. www.energyarts.com 4

NOTE: This special tai chi report is part of the

launch of the Tai Chi Mastery Program

Sign up for Bruces newsletter to receive videos, articles and

learn more about the Tai Chi Mastery Program by visiting:

http://www.taichimastery.com

The Tai Chi Mastery Program is a comprehensive program for the

dedicated practitioner containing over 50++ hours of step-by-step lessons

teaching all aspects of tai chi including health, the short form, push

hands, neigong, martial arts and meditation.

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A LETTER FROM BRUCE FRANTZIS

1 November 2012 Ulm, Germany

Hi folks,

When it comes to exercise and fitness, you have countless choices: weight

lifting, running, yoga, Pilates, biking, tennis, golf, cross-fit and other

fad programs that come and go. With so many choices, it can be

difficult to determine what is right for you.

So why learn tai chi and why take the time to really learn it right?

I believe tai chi is the future of fitness and exercise. Tai Chi Chuan

translated into the English language literally means the supreme

ultimate. Tai chi is what I call an Uber-exercise because you can do it for

health, healing, martial arts and meditation.

Tai chi can totally transform your life so you feel better and more connected to your body, mind

and spirit. Tai chi is one of the best practices for long-term health and longevity. Tai chi is

known for helping to heal and even reverse various injuries with virtually no downsides. Tai chi

releases chronic stress and builds your qi or energy.

Practicing tai chi literally rewires your bodys nervous system. Many find that once they learn tai

chi they dont have to force themselves to do exercise every day. Instead, they want to do tai chi

every day because it makes them feel relaxed, integrated and whole. Many join tai chi practice

groups and form lasting friends and community.

Another piece of good news is more research studies are being published that confirm what

Eastern practitioners have known for thousands of years you can prevent illness and also

contribute to your own healing through applied practice of tai chi. This ongoing tai chi research

offers scientific proof of its benefits and will help fuel its popularity.

Although tai chi is finally gaining mass popularity, in the West many of Tai Chis original

teachings are unfortunately becoming more diluted and watered down. Even when I learned tai

chi in Beijing, China, almost 30 years ago, it was becoming apparent that the overall skill level

of tai chi practitioners was declining because few did it solely as their primary profession.

If you are considering learning tai chi or if you already practice tai chi, one important thing to

learn and know about tai chi is what really gives it the power. This is the internal energetics or

neigong that you put inside your tai chi form. This has been my focus where I teach these

neigong both in qigong sets and within tai chi.

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If you want your tai chi to really do what it can do, you have to go beyond just learning the

physical movements. Learning how to use the mind to affect what is happening in the body is a

key. Few in the West know how to teach these original energetic components. Fewer know the

correct linking procedure so that the possibilities of tai chi can become a reality in your body.

In China it is widely accepted that you need about ten years to become a competent tai chi

instructor. Those with previous experience in other internal arts might be able to do it in five

years, but that is the exception. Part of the reason this is so is because a person has to fully

embody the energetic components in his or her body. Just as an oak tree cannot grow in a day, tai

chi teachers take time to mature and develop. They must rebuild and upgrade their energetic

system.

As there are different forms being created and more teachers appearing on the scene, I encourage

you to learn an authentic form and to study with the best qualified teacher you can find. This

means a teacher that been properly trained and can fully embody the principles of tai chi.

I have created The Insiders Guide to Tai Chi to provide you with foundational information to

help you understand and evaluate the expanding body of material available about tai chi in the

West. Ill also go deeper to explain neigong, which is the secret that powers tai chi. Neigong

translated means internal energy work and it explains how qi flows in the body. It is what

makes tai chi effective as a martial art, as a health exercise and even for meditation.

When I started learning tai chi many years ago, I found and worked with some of the best

masters in China within the Chen, Yang and Wu tai chi lineages. I believe that it is my

responsibility to share what they taught me with as many people as possible. This tai chi report,

my blog at www.taichimaster.com, the Tai Chi Mastery Program and my live events are ways I

can share what I learned with you.

I have been practicing and teaching tai chi now for more than 45 years and counting. I first

wanted to learn tai chi for my martial arts and had little interest in its health benefits. At the time

I was a young man that loved both doing and teaching martial arts. What I found in the internal

marital art of tai chi was a system for being strong into old age without the joint and body

damage associated with external martial arts.

Later, as time went on, I used tai chi to heal my own body from other illnesses. Once, in India, I

contracted a deadly case of hepatitis. Tai chi literally saved my life when I used it to open up t